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Hard to imagine Johan Franzen would miss Game 7
Look for all hands to be on deck in Game 7 on Thursday night of what has become an epic Western Conference semifinal between the Detroit Red Wings and San Jose Sharks ? San Jose has opened as a slight favorite for the winner-take-all game in the Shark Tank on Bodog?s NHL odds.
Of course the Red Wings are looking to become the fourth team in NHL history ? and second team in two years, joining last year?s Flyers ? to rally from a 3-0 series deficit to win the series. Both San Jose and Detroit were without key players in Game 6 on Tuesday. The Wings were without Johan Franzen because of an ankle injury. Franzen wouldn?t speak to reporters on Wednesday, but teammate Niklas Kronwall all but guaranteed that "The Mule" will return for Game 7. Franzen has two goals and an assist in eight playoff games this season.
?I think so," Kronwall said of Franzen's availability for the Game 7. "Definitely."
There also has been no definitive word out of San Jose regarding Ryane Clowe, who didn?t even travel to Detroit for Game 6 because of an upper-body injury. Clowe had four goals and nine assists for 13 points to lead the team through 11 postseason games. Ben Eager replaced Clowe in the lineup Tuesday, but the absence of the Sharks' top playoff scorer prompted Coach Todd McLellan to open the game with a new look for all four of his forward lines.
The Wings have the major edge in experience in Game 7 situations. Not counting inactive goalie Chris Osgood ? who has played six Game 7s in his career ? the Red Wings have a combined 77 Game 7s under their belt spread among 21 players. That's nearly twice as many players with Game 7 experience as the Sharks (11).
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